Tokka week!
by Miss Momolo
Summary: A Tokka fan fiction for Tokka week. So I will be writing a beside story for my two chapter story of Beneath dark waters and Undeniable secretes… so, I will suggest that you read that story first before going to this one. This is limited because it will only contain 7 for the 7 days of the week, go figure XD stories. So yeah hope you like and REVIEW!
1. Bending the rules

**Bending the rules**- A Tokka fan fiction for Tokka week. I do not own ATLA or their characters. So I will be writing a beside story for my two chapter story of Beneath dark waters and Undeniable secretes… so, I will suggest that you read that story first before going to this one. This is limited because it will only contain 7 stories. So yeah hope you like and REVIEW! XD

Sokka let himself inside Toph's apartment. He quickly found her with two year old Lin on her lap, playing some sort of game. He smiled, it all seemed perfect.

"Lin?" Lin's face light up, noticing for the first time that he was there. She jumped out of Toph's arms and headed to Sokka, hugging his left leg. He gently tapped her head, grinning. "Can I borrow your mother for a second?"

Lin nodded. "If you promise to give her back." She held her pinky to him.

Sokka raised an eye brow but still intertwined his finger with hers. "Promise." She started to giggle. "Now got to your room."

Lin started to scream as she ran to where he told to. On the floor where Toph laid her eye brows creased. Sokka sneered, pleased that she didn't see him doing so because then her suspicions would grow. He marched to where she was then joined her as he sat.

Some seconds flew by. "Did you teach Lin to negotiate in promises lately?

"Well," she said prolonging the word, "she has to have a small right in something's, doesn't she?"

"I can't say…" Sokka hummed.

"Did you think I wouldn't notice the bottle you have behind your back?" she shot back.

Sokka sighed defeated as he brought the bottle covered securely with paper to his front. "I would guess not."

"What is it?" Toph asked, taking it from his hands.

Before Toph could open it Sokka retrieved it. "It's for celebration."

Toph groaned miserably. "I said 'what is it' not 'what it was for' but thanks for the unnecessary in the moment information."

"We are," Sokka began slowly as he ignored her previous comment, "going to celebrate the two small years I have spent being a 'parental figure' to Lin. It's like an anniversary."

Toph's face seemed to contradict as she looked down. But for countless years Sokka had known that this face meant thoughtless and some type of happiness. "Thanks Sokka…" Her words drifted through the reserved space. "I wouldn't have guessed that you'd remember the day."

Sokka placed a hand on her shoulder. "How could I forget?"

"So," her tone changed to conversational, "what are we celebrating with?"

Sokka's grin grew large by the second and he tried so hard not to laugh. It would draw Lin out of her room that was the least he wanted.

"With… wait for it… Cactus juice!"

This time Toph's face fell out of shock and surprise. "What? Isn't that illegal? And didn't you burn the last cactus you had?"

"Oh, dear, dear Toph," Sokka's voice was teasing as her wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pressed. "What you don't understand is: you can bend earth and you can bend metal but I'm a council man. I can bend the rules." He started to laugh uncontrollably.

"I can also bend spines for the insulting words you just used." Toph included with a grin.

"But you won't." Sokka finished.

"This time. This time." She repeated

"Let's have a drink!" he offered standing up and snatching some glasses from the sink. He came back and poured the juice. He handed one to Toph.

"A toast?" She asked raising her glass before ever taking a sip.

"Of course." Sokka brought the glass to her, the hit echoing a DING. "To Lin."

Toph smiled crookedly, then added, "To us."


	2. Parents

**Parents**- Second day of Tokka week. So I didn't knew what Toph's parent's name were so the ones I used here were from a website, I don't know if I'm correct. I hope u like and REVIEW plz

Sokka was on his way to Toph's apartment door, his hand was reaching the knob when he heard screaming and fighting. He took some seconds to inspect the voices. He didn't recognize anyone he knew or perhaps it was due to the fact that they were mixed in the argument. He wanted to wait a little longer and see if he could maybe figure out what it was –because if it was some robbers or some of the kind he knew Toph could deal with it and he wouldn't want to get in the way- but then he heard Lin crying.

Sokka instinctively let himself in but when he pulled the door someone on the other side was doing the same. He jumped out of the way as he saw a strange man with a stranger mustache, behind was a woman with a big arrangement in her head. The only indication that led Sokka conclude that they were Toph's parent was the weird symbol on their clothes. Flying boar, the Bei Fong's. Lao and Poppy. They were stumping away.

After they were a distance away he jumped inside of the apartment, there Toph was rocking tired Lin asleep. To him it was very clear she was mad. He was almost scared to ask why but he had to. "What's going on?"

Toph kept moving Lin in her arms. Not answering.

"Toph?"

Silence. He was about to say something else but she interrupted. "I can't believe the nerve of my parents."

Sokka stepped forward taking Lin from her arms, she reacted at first but when she knew it was him her reluctance started to melt. "Why do you say that?" it was a good question. He knew that her parents weren't the first thing on her mind and that she hadn't seen them in years. In fact it was weird seeing them here too.

"Ugh! I don't want to talk about it." She ran a hand through her hair.

In Sokka's arm Lin had already fallen asleep, impressively, his only wish was that Toph could be this easy. "Come on, you know you can tell me." He tried to persuade her as he started walking to Toph's room. Over the years Lin had been sleeping with her mother without a chance of leaving her and Sokka knew that this was going to turn into a problem in the future. Spirits know how.

"I really don't." Toph answered fallowing behind.

In the room Sokka gently laid Lin on the bed, sitting next to her, Toph on the other side pulled the covers almost hiding Lin's face completely. Later when Toph wasn't looking (as if she could) Sokka pulled them a little bit down. Toph always wanted to be a good mother and who said she wasn't but with the lack in sight she might as well choke Lin under the covers. Though he wouldn't want to tell that to Toph.

"What did they think about Lin?" he said instead.

Toph sat next to Sokka. "They thought she was beautiful and were proud to have a pretty little granddaughter." She smiled for a second before she started to scowled. "Then they started to criticize my apartment and how I could be living with them. And how come I didn't have a crib for my child."

"You have one." Sokka pointed out.

Toph nodded. "I just don't like to use it, that Lin would be lonely. I told them that. They said I was overreacting, that when I was a child I never slept with them. That I was disciplined correctly."

Toph stopped talking, as she hunched like she was used to. "What happened next?" Sokka prompted.

"Then," she hesitated, "then they mention my disability in seeing. That I can't be a mother if I can't see and work with my own child. That if I was with them this wouldn't have happened, that I would have a servant looking after Lin. 'Like you did to me,' I told them, 'I don't want to raise Lin the way you did to me. You aren't real parents.' Then they said I wasn't either."

Sokka was sinking in the words and he had to close his eyes and take a deep breath. He wasn't sure what he was asking anymore. "What… what happened after?"

"They said they were ashamed of me. That I was taking care of a child without a father and without them arranging a marriage. That they were embarrassed and that I was a horrible and irresponsible daughter…" she wavered. "I said to them that they were the horrible and irresponsible parents for never really caring for their own child simply because she was blind, for treating her so fragile and weak. That now I was the chief of police and that I created metal bending. That I wasn't alone….And I told them I had you…" Toph exhaled disappointed. "When they started to laugh I told them that besides being horrible and irresponsible parents that they were also terrible grandparents too. I told them to get out… They left without ever fighting it."

"That's awful." Was all Sokka could say. His mind was traveling with the velocity of winds on a sail and even though he wasn't there his chest hurt as if he witnessed all of this himself. He didn't know what to say or do.

"Sokka," he turned to her, noticing that she was tearing up, "Am I a horrible and irresponsible mother?"

"No-" He began.

"Don't you dare lie to me Sokka. I can handle the truth." Her body rattled as tried to contain her dread in hopes of not waking Lin.

"No," he repeated as he brought Toph face to his chest. She was tensed at first but then seemed to settle as he started to rub her shoulder and back. "No you're not. You're the most skilled mother I know and I know Katara. You can joggle a hundred things at a time –including rocks and metal- and still come home and see Lin. Your parents can't ever tell you what you are and what you're not. You are the one who decides for yourself. Don't let them influence the answer. But if you want I can give you my opinion. " He didn't wait for her to answer, he did it himself. "Besides of being the greatest earth bender in the world, you also are the greatest mother in the world. And if you want to know: you are not your parents."

"You think?" Sokka nodded. "Then we _are_ the best parents." Some moments passed, Toph in Sokka's arm when she whispered. "You're a great father too."


	3. Bedtime

**Bedtime**- Tokka week day three. Oh, my Glob I haven't done so many Tokka in my life… it's tiring and at the same time fulfilling… I don't know, imma weirdo.

"I don't want to sleep here, momma." Five year old Lin complained from where she laid on her new bed. Toph and Sokka had decided that she was old enough to sleep alone but it seemed that they made a great mistake buying a bed without any word from Lin. Though sooner or later she had to sleep in solitude. It seemed that today was the exception.

"Why Lin?" Toph asked as she crossed her arms on the edge of the twin size bed.

"I'm scared of the dark." Lin answered quivering.

Toph felt a pang of the realization in her chest. She tried to center herself. "It's okay, Lin. I'd live my whole life in the dark and I'm not scared. You shouldn't be either."

"Sokka." Lin complained. She had accustomed herself to run to him when she didn't get what she wanted. It was knack when he spoiled her.

"I don't know, Toph." Sokka agreed from beside her. When Toph shot him a glare, Sokka gulped. "I, mean, I don't know Lin. You're like a grownup now; you should be on your own. Like grownups do. And I heard that Tenzin is sleeping alone too."

Toph heard Lin groan. "Pleasssseeee."

"Lin," Toph started to protest, "don't start with me."

"I don't know about that, Toph." Sokka repeated and Toph was about to shot him another scowl before he cut her off. "We can always tell her a bedtime story."

Lin started to clap, cheering. "Yeah, bedtime story."

"Okay," Sokka started. "Once upon a time there was…"

At the end Toph might have thought that an hour passed by because every time Sokka began the story Lin would interrupt so he would change something and then another thing. And then another. When thirty minutes had passed she was pleased, so, Toph thought because she never interrupted again. She hoped that she was right.

"And so the young airbender married the witty earthbender and lived happily ever after. The end." Sokka's voice was rigid as he finished the sentence.

"Is she asleep?" Toph asked in a whispered and when a few minutes pass afraid to wake Lin if she had already shifted into slumber.

"No…" Sokka whispered back. "She just opened her eyes and is staring at us."

"Are you sure?"

To this Lin answered. "Another story. You momma, I want you to tell one."

Toph sighed. "I'm not good at telling stories and you should be sleeping by now, Lin."

"Pleaaaassssseeee." She chanted again.

"Come on, Toph." Sokka joined the fest. "Help me out here."

"You should be the one helping me." Toph shot back.

"Um, are you hearing me? I can't even talk." His voice stumbled a little too much as he said this.

"C'mon, momma. Just one." Lin started to whine.

"Fine." Toph said a little too dissatisfy. "But don't you interrupt me Lin."

"I promise." She giggled crookedly.

"Um…."

"Once upon a time…" Sokka prompted.

"Of course," Toph said. "Once upon a time… there was this girl…um." She started to think... She heard that stories are a telling of a past life; maybe she will use the past to help her. "And she was worshiped like a princess even if she didn't live in castle or was trapped in a tower. But she was trapped in her home. There she was treated to everything she did and watched from a far for any indication of what was going to happen next. What they didn't know was that she knew all of this. So one day she ran away." She stopped for suspense.

"What happened next?" She could hear the angst in Lin's voice and she had to bite her lip for her not to laugh.

"Yeah…" Sokka said after.

"Well," she continued. "She went to a place where she was treated like and equal despite her lack of ability. There she fought against anyone who ever got in her way with the simple price of money." She hesitated, she couldn't be very truthful. "They, um, use to call her the Limp Bandit."

"Why?" Lin asked too bewildered.

"Because she had a limp leg."

Lin started to giggle uncontrollably. When she had a hang on herself she said: "Momma, what did limpy do with her money?"

"That's a good question?" she said more to herself as she tangled her mind around this. "Time passed and she grew, she no longer lived in her home because she found a place to really call one that. The friends she had made also grew and lived their life. She felt happy but not whole." She started to really consider this then she looked up thinking. "Guess, she bought a dream when they sold her one…"

"Oh," Lin said in a daze.

"Yeah."

"But-" Sokka interrupted as he laid a hand on her shoulder. "-her friend had the receipt."

"But she didn't want a warranty." Toph turned to the direction where she thought Sokka was. "She wanted that dream. That is why she bought one."

"What was the dream, momma?" Lin yawned.

"To have a new dream." She said firmly.

"Though," Sokka intervened again, "it wouldn't be a dream if she didn't share it."

"So, she shared her dream with her friend." She smiled to Sokka's direction.

"Mom, I still don't understand what her dream was and what was her friends name or the other and…" Lin yawned again.

"It's okay Lin. It's just a story." Toph said as her hands found Lin's face.

"In which they live happily ever after." Sokka added.

"The end." Toph said very low in hopes that Lin would fall asleep. Maybe five minutes pass after that and she waited. "Sokka, is Lin asleep?" She hissed.

"No…" Sokka hissed back. "She's staring at us."

"Another story!" She encouraged.

"Lin!" Sokka started to argue.

"Why don't we sleep with Lin tonight, just this once?" Toph asked amused at Sokka's flat anger.

She heard him chuckled as he started to move on the small bed. "Already got you covered."

Toph started to laugh too as she tried to find a space were there wasn't any one. There was a lot of shuffling and grunting and ten minutes later Lin was in the middle as Sokka was on the other side and Toph on the other. Toph settled on the other side as she tried to find a comfortable spot, then she picked at Lin's arm. "Um, Sokka mind sharing Lin?"

Sokka started to laugh too but it wasn't his voice who asked, "Momma, was I your new dream?"

Toph smiled. "You two always were."


	4. Duty

**Duty**- Tokka for Tokka week, day four. I mean it's been exhausting writing for them every day but I can't stop! Ha! So please review I must have reviews!

"Mom, where's Sokka?" ten year old Lin asked Toph for what seemed to be the hundred time in two weeks. It hurt Toph more when she couldn't answer. But she had to do it anyways because it was worse if she didn't.

"At work, Lin." She would partially lie because it was partially true. He was at work though the reason that he hadn't shown up in two weeks to see Lin and her were unknown.

She had resorted in visiting Katara one time. They sat inside her home as Tenzin and Lin run about. Toph had ordered her to calm down and behave but she didn't listen because Lin was only accustomed to being bossed around by Sokka, another reason for the visit.

"Let them be, Toph," Katara coxed Toph's anger when she had to repeat her instructions for the third time. "They will only be young once."

Toph sighed defeated; this would only be easy if a certain Water Tribe man were present but then again if he were then she wouldn't be sitting there. "Katara, have you seen Sokka lately?"

Katara took a moment. "Well, I haven't seen him around in a while. Since the crime started to grow on a scale in Republic City, I know because that's the last thing I had talk to him about. A few days ago Aang told me that Sokka was very involved in his paper work to join in him for a cup of tea even when he offered him meat." Hearing Toph dead silence Katara continued. "But's okay, Toph, don't worry. You know how Sokka can get when he is too involved on something."

Toph nodded. "I know. But it's not for me. I know how Sokka can get but Lin is too naïve to understand." Toph crossed her arms a bit too irritated. "And Lin's been asking about Sokka for a while now."

Toph felt a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Toph. Things will turn out fine."

She shrugged. "I hope you'll right Katara."

That day Toph had stayed an hour longer than she had planned just for Lin's sake. Maybe if she spent time with others she will slowly forget about Sokka even if it meant running like a maniac with Tenzin.

It was night time when they arrived back; Toph was preparing Lin for bed when she asked. "Mom, why is Sokka not here?"

"Um…" Toph sat down on her bed, trying to ignore the hurt she felt in that instance. "I don't know, Lin. I don't know."

The other day it was a surprise when she felt familiar vibrations enter her office. She instantly felt relief and almost happy as if all her problems had been solved and that for once she was glad Katara was right. But then he opened his mouth.

"Toph, why aren't there many Metalbender patrolling the City?" Sokka's voice sounded annoyed. She had only heard in several occasions this particular resonance but it held a bit of sarcasms, this didn't.

Toph stood from her chair locating her hands on the desk, taking a defensive stance. "Because I believe that is the perfect amount."

"It's not," Toph jumped by the way his voice spat this," because then the criminal intentions couldn't be this high. If you don't change this then I will place all responsibility on your shoulders."

Toph was taken back at the ferocity of his charges. "Don't blame me. When Aang and Zuko created the City we knew what was at stake. Don't try to cope with it by making me responsible for something that was bound to happen."

"People being harm is not supposed to be something common." Sokka's venom was evident and Toph had to take a deep breath to make it stop from spreading.

"I," she stripped with her words, "I understand. What I don't is why you have to be so defensive?"

It didn't take long to answer. "It's my duty. That's why I am a councilman."

Toph lowered her head as she let his sense sink in, she felt agitated by it suddenly. "Sokka, Lin is your duty too. That's why you offered to be her 'fatherly figure'." She didn't give him time to think. "She's been asking about you all week and-"

"I'll stop by tonight." He interrupted and quickly stormed out of her office.

When she realized he was gone she let herself fall to the chair. This was the first ever (official) fight they had ever had with this commitment with Lin. It almost felt disappointing but what she felt most was hurt.

When the door opened it made a creaking sound. Toph laid in her sofa awaiting him because he was five hours late and 'tonight' had turned into tomorrow. She had never thought disappointment and hurt had side dishes.

"Your late." She said before he did anything else.

She felt him stop. "But at least I'm here."

"Yeah," she agreed lamely, "after Lin waited all night. She was happy that Sokka was going to come see her. She tried to stay awake for it but you know… sometimes you get tired."

She felt Sokka paced his steps heavily on the ground. "Now we're playing the blame game!" he hissed in a whisper trying to not to wake Lin.

"I don't know you started it today."

"I wasn't blaming." His protest was barely audible. "I was sharing responsibility."

"Tell me," her voice cracked, "how's that working? You told me that you were going to be there for her, that you will her be responsibility. That she will never ask for her real father. And yet she asks me about you every day. Tell that's not irony…"

Sokka stopped again. "I'm doing all this for her!" this time he didn't contain the loudness in his tone. "I'm working tirelessly for her. I'm cleaning the streets off crime and violence so I'll be sure she's safe when I'm not here with her. All of my work is for one cause. If you don't send more patrols and if you don't help tell me that's not irony."

"And being absent is not?" she started to raise her voice too.

"What if she is absent to me because I did nothing to help it?" he shot back

"Sokka, you're over exaggerating things!"

"And you're not. I need to be sure." He replied. "I need to continue my work. I need to protect Lin. It's my duty."

"You're only protecting her from yourself when you go away."

"Well-" he stopped and Toph quickly realize why.

Lin was walking in the room. She must have seen something because she ran to where Sokka was tensed up.

"_Dad_, what's going on?" she asked and Toph almost sobbed in that moment when she heard those three letters. She had never used them before.

Sokka was quiet which led Toph to think that he was in shock too. "Nothing, honey. I was just going to leave."

"Don't." Lin's voice wobbled. "I was waiting for you. You can't leave."

More quietness. "It's alright Lin. I will see you again tomorrow." "

"Promise?" She guessed she was holding up her finger.

"I promise." Some minutes passed and she wondered if Lin was hugging him.

But then she heard the door closing.


	5. Lost

**Lost**- It gets tired of writing the same thing but heck: a Tokka for Tokka week day five. So this is the continuation of the last chapter I hope you enjoy, thanks for the feedback and please continue to review.

**A/N: **_When the letters are like this it means a memory or the past which ever._

_Toph had no idea how she ended up there. One moment she was with Aang, Katara and Sokka and the other she was lost. She had never been lost before. She had always known where she was and where she was going but it seemed that now the roads crisscrossed in a blur. She tried to remember if something had happened while she was unaware but the harder she tried to think the less data she received. They were walking on foot, engaged in a conversation which she had forgotten what it was about and then the second after everything was quiet. Had she fallen asleep? Less likely. Where they playing a trick? Possibly. What had happened?_

_ It didn't matter in the moment because she was alone. The grounds beneath her feet were unknown and for the first time in her life she felt completely blind. She was afraid to take a step or a breath or maybe scream for help. She had entered a realm where everything was a mystery. But she moved anyways because then how would she find the others? How would she get out of this place? _

_ As she moved it dwelled on her that she could be lost for days if she didn't find anyone today. Maybe she will starve to death or be food for some animal. Usually this would be the line of thought Katara would have in mind and she hated that she would go to that place. She needed to be positive, optimistic, see the brightness in all this. But then again if she would be located in such situations in her past life the personal of her parents would have found her._

_ She started to wonder what it would be like if she hadn't joined the Avatar. Would she be normal? Would she be treated like a disabled child? Would she be fragile? Would she still be the Blindbandit? Would she make her parents see her in a new light? Would she make them understand that she wasn't as small and weak as they thought? Her eyes water… she knew for certain that she wouldn't be lost._

_ How much longer until they found her? Or worse: how much longer until they realize she'd been missing?_

_ Toph didn't want to cry because if she did she knew for sure they would find her and if they did they would see her like this. But the thought of never getting out of this was tense in the air._

_ She sucked a deep breath in…_

_ "Spirits, Toph, where have you been?" Sokka's voice called out and shortly after she felt his vibrations on the ground. _

_ She sighed relieved as she quickly cleaned her eyes and slowly controlled her heart pulse. It felt like a weight had been lifted and she couldn't help but shout back, "Sokka!"_

_ Now she heard his footsteps running toward her. "We were worried sick!'_

_ She felt his hands on her shoulder and she suppressed the urge to hug him just because this much familiarity was comforting._

_ "What happened?" she asked and instead gripped at his wrist as he started to stir her in one direction. _

_ "You tell me? One moment you were here the other you took another path on another direction." _

_ "I don't know…" her voice vibrated with the emotion of hearing what had truly happened to her…_

_ "Well, don't ever scare us like that." he simply said as he wrapped an arm around her head. "Next time I'll keep an extra eye on you."_

"What do you think?" Lin asked Toph.

Sokka had stopped by like he promised and Lin wanted to compensate him by making a small sketch. Of course Toph couldn't see this and it pained her not to. How could it not? Without Sokka here to make this moment bearable she was mislaid.

"It's beautiful." Toph commented

"Do you like how I made all of us hold hand?" Lin said unsatisfied. "I think Sokka will like it." Lin touched Toph's eyes, wiping. "Mom, why are you crying?"

"It's just so pretty. I think he would like it, too."

After that Sokka had come to visit Lin twice that week. It was good at the moment, Toph would think, but it wasn't great, she would conclude at last because he would not stay. Though Lin would be satisfied and Toph wished that was enough for her. The thing was…she needed more. She couldn't ignore the void of his presence when he was gone. When he leaved her on a path unknown to her, stranded, ignored. She would be centered at first but then she would be misplaced at the same instant he'd say his goodbyes. This was awful. And she needed for him to be aware of this.

They'd told her to knock before she entered the councilman's office. But she didn't, it was her. She didn't need his permission to come see him.

Regret at the last minute as she peered her head inside. She felt his presence in his office but still she asked because they had grown distance and he had grown different. She didn't know what to expect. "Sokka?"

"Toph?" his voice sounded surprised yet bored. "What are you doing here?"

"To tell you that I had doubled the patrols around the City." She said hallowed and the answer hung in the air without a second set of ear for it to be that of importance.

"Good." He replied. "If that's all-"

"There's something else." She quickly recovered taking in a breath. But it took too long.

"What it is, Toph?" he asked, urging.

"I, um, I-"

"Spill it out, Toph. I got no time."

"Lin needs you." It felt like the earlier words, hung by its weightiness. She didn't know if he didn't understand or if he didn't know what to say but she felt necessity to explain. "On a daily basis. Not just because you feel pressure into coming for a stop by my house. I don't want you to feel like it's your job. But because you want to…"

"Toph…" he started in his 'don't-be-that-way' tone.

"I'm lost." She stated before he could say something else. Before he would make her feel pitiful. "I'm lost every time Lin refers to me as if I was a normal mother. I'm lost when you aren't there. I'm lost when I'm lost. And I'm lost. And you won't even help me. I need you."

She waited for his response. Which only came with shuffling. "But I guess you won't help me. You don't need me as much as I need you."

She stopped when she felt his hand on her face as it covered her left ear and moved at her hair. "Tell Lin that I will see her tonight."


	6. Loose cannon

**Loose cannon-** Tokka week day six. I didn't know what to expect (I don't know what it means) with this title so whatever… Please REVIEW!

Sokka's councilman's office door opened and for a mere second he thought it was Toph until a bold head with an arrow popped inside.

"Hey." Aang said too tired.

"Hi." Sokka murmured too concentrated on his work.

"I thought you left by now."

"I'm still here." He offered, raising his hands.

"Yeah." Aang sounded confused as he stepped further inside. "I can see that."

"What are _you_ still doing here, anyways?" He asked in the same instant the thought went through his head because it was weird and normally he would have left hours ago. "Shouldn't you be with Katara and the kids?"

Aang walked a bit more and took a seat in front of Sokka's desk. "You know? I was about to say the same thing. Katara had told me that she's worried about you, that you are too caught up in your work."

Sokka exhaled, annoyed. If Aang was going to continue on with this conversation then he couldn't continue with his plans and preparations. So he lifted his stare and lifted an eyebrow. "Really? She hadn't told me anything. And less that I was a topic to discuss with you."

Aang held his gaze as if trying to figure out something incomprehensible, as if looking for an answer. But then he lowered his eyes and started to fidget with his clothes. "We're just worried about you. That you are taking this too serious… and well." He hesitated and his eyes snapped back up, trying figure out if he should go on. "Um, she also told me that Toph came for a visit not long ago and that she was wondering where you were and whatnot… She was worried too."

At the mention of her name Sokka squinted and leaned in his chair, crossing his arms. "Aang, I know you're the Avatar and everything but, please, don't tell me how to do my job. I know what I'm doing and I don't need your guidance to help me with something nonexistence. I think we're too big for that."

Aang closed his eyes and sighed defeated. "Maybe we _are_ too big for that. But Sokka do we fully grow? Our capacity, has it reached its limit of development? We are men on the outside but are we naïve boys in the interior? I think one can mature with advice and experience. I'm not trying to tell you how to do your job but how can you be a councilman if you can't even take upon a simple counseling?"

Sokka really hated when Aang got like that and he hated when he proved his point. It was infuriating. "Aang, you're spending time that I can't afford."

"You're right." Aang agreed as he stood. "Time is precious and valuable and more to those who know how to use it correctly. I, for instance, am going to spend mine with those who truly deserve it for free. I have a family at home and I wouldn't want to keep them waiting any longer. I wouldn't want to waste their and my time." Sokka was at lost for words and he thought he had enough until Aang stopped at the door and added, "A little piece of wisdom, if you would like to hear, don't misuse yours. You don't know when you'll need it or if you'll want it back. If I were you I would keep my mind open for a loan."

The door clicked behind Aang and Sokka slumped in his chair. Why did everyone worried about him? They should be worried about themselves, about their own security and protection. That was why he was there… in the middle of the night or at the crack of dawn. Someone had to worry (not at him) and he would be glad to do it because someone had to take responsibility for their actions. Someone had to pay the check.

But was it worth all that he was missing. Lin. Lin was his entire world and what was him without his entire world? If she was taken from his arms he would want it back, and so to never wage the cost he would prevent his entire world from ending. The City was the first place to start. He thought it was bad with the Fire Nation and the others in separate but this was worse. Much worse. This was not what he had signed up for. But nevertheless he did and he couldn't take it change if he wanted to.

He didn't understand why people couldn't see the danger and only say his troubles which weren't troubles at all because all he did was make them understand this adversity. And since no one understood he took the liberty to fix the problem himself.

For Lin.

For Toph.

Sokka quickly realized that his frustration was getting in the way of his work so he left. No one was left and he started to wonder if Aang was right but of course he wasn't. Aang sure was the Avatar- the one to bring peace to the world- but he didn't get how to bring peace to the City. The problem right in front of him and he didn't saw it. Instead he pointed to Sokka and started to claim for unreal thing.

Outside the City was cold and dark and he felt lost and lonely. Times like this he wished he had somewhere to go and somewhere to be. The ache at his heart couldn't be ignored any further when he didn't have paperwork and other things to catch his attention from this small disturbance. And when the image was this clear….

He started marching on the sidewalk without anymore distractions. The streets dim and no sound were in ears reach. Though in that exact moment he heard footsteps trolling in perfect harmony. He turned and watched as a group of Metalbenders trotted pass him. All of them glanced at him curios and confuse. But only one stopped and came to him.

"Councilman, sir, you should be headed home. The streets are not safe at this hour."

Sokka's ached hurt even harder because of his guilt for pressuring Toph into doing this small act of sending Metalbenders to patrol and remorse for treating her so badly this couple of weeks. He had no choice but to nod. "Yeah, um, of course."

"Want assistance?"

"No. Don't insult me." Sokka said joking but he himself didn't felt the humor. "It's fine. I can't get there myself."

But instead he started to resume his rum of the City as an attempt to ease his pain. He began to wonder if maybe he was wrong, if maybe he was the one that didn't understood his wild instating in overprotecting the City but most importantly Lin because all of this was for her. It seemed that all he gained was seeing Lin a couple of moments in the week. He knew that sooner or later he was going to be plastered in the background, left and forgotten. He would be more or less or maybe the same as her real father. Was that what he wanted? Hadn't Toph told him that?

Toph.

His mind was in a haze so when he started to knock on the door it settled on him to where he was and what he was doing. The image quickly returned and he realized the big picture was Lin. And Toph.

They say the heart searches for its home when it is no longer in it, that home is where the heart is, of course he didn't believe in that nonsense but as Toph opened her door a crack and his heart hammered, he guessed it held a small ounce of truth.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered low as she stepped outside in the hallway and crossed her arms under her chest.

"I'm here for a loan."

"What?" she said this titling her head to the side and Sokka had to contain the urge to suggest that it was too cute for her age.

Sokka sighed. "You were right."

Toph appeared unfazed as her expression stayed the same. "About what?"

So, she _did_ want him to suffer, but it was alright. "About what you said. I don't want to miss out on Lin because of work or because I want to protect her…" then he added quietly. "I don't want to miss out on you."

Still unchanged as if she hadn't heard him. "How do I know you're not lying, or at least not a good liar? How do I know you're never going to turn your back on us again?"

"You know I never did." He stated defensively.

Toph's head looked down then she took a breath and then when she turned to his direction her eyes were glassy. "But it felt like you did."

"I'm sorry." He simply said a little to hurt. "I never intended for you to feel this way."

"It's funny because everybody says that." She said faking a smile and a short laugh while a few tears trickle down her cheek.

Unsure Sokka reached for her face and used both hands to clean her tears as he looked at her confused. "But the big difference is that I mean it. My word is good."

Toph shook her head as pushed his arms away. "I don't know… not anymore."

"Toph?" When she seemed to have his attention he continued. "I need you… but when you had Lin and things changed and it felt like I was trapped in a maze that's when I realize I also _wanted you_. Because that was the day I became a father. And I never had second doubts but when she called me 'dad' that thought of having second thoughts never crossed my mind. I don't know how many things I have to prove to let you know I'm not lying, and you know I'm not a good liar. And I will never, ever dream even though it should be considered a nightmare because it's a nightmare to turn my back on _you_ and _our_ daughter."

Toph's body started to shake and her hands reached her face instantly. As she started to walk to him he saw the tears streaming through her fingers. He pulled her closed as her covered face lay on his shoulder and he took this opportunity to lay his shin in the top of her head.

Toph sniffled. "Sokka?"

"Hmmm." He said starting to rock her back and forth.

She started to whisper again, "You never had to prove yourself."


	7. Moment of truth

**Moment of truth-** Tokka day seven, or the last day. This whole week was… I don't know weird? and tomorrow classes are starting for P.R. a good thing that Tokka week finished today. So I will like to clear that this is my last Tokka I will _NOT_ continue with this story any longer and I believe I won't write for Tokka for a while too. So please enjoy this and pretty please review because I won't return in a while….

**A/n**: this is ten years later from my previous chapter…

"Have a good time," Sokka said closing the door. It was Valentine 's Day (A/n: I do not know if Valentine exists in the avatar universe but for the sake of the story it does.) and Tenzin and Lin were going to go on a suave dinner at some fancy restaurant. Leaving Sokka and Toph to fence for them self as they enjoyed the night out.

It didn't take long for Toph to suggest something. "I should have turned them both down. What was thinking? Maybe I can catch up to them and stop it."

Sokka tapped Toph's back in a calming way as he started to stir her towards the old sofa. "Don't worry, Toph. They have things covered. And besides Lin is twenty years old, let her have some fun." (A/n: I know I'm interrupting too much but my math let me to guess that Tenzin and Lin were twenty when they started going out. But that's just me.)

"You don't know Sokka. He's Aang's son but he is nothing like Aang. He could try something… if he tries something…" She started to crack her knuckles and neck.

Sokka continued to rub her back. "Relax. They have it under control. They're not kids anymore. And it's all for this special occasion. Let them have their fun."

Toph finally sighed as she let herself fall against the sofa. She pulled the hair out of her face. "You're right… But I can't face the fact that my-"

"Our." Sokka interrupted teasingly, it had become an obsession to fix this error every time it was committed.

"-our Lin is grown up. It felt as if yesterday she moved her first rock." Toph huffed at the memory too emotional.

"I know and it feels as if yesterday she was beating me with rocks after she learned to first move one," Sokka added in form of a joke with a touch of its past hurt.

"I know." She said way too enthusiastic. "But…"

"I know what you feel. It's hard letting go even if it means that she will be back. It's just small steps to take but we have to learn them because soon enough the steps will become jumps. I just wish she was like my once trusty boomerang, always coming back to me."

Toph groaned inside her hands as she covered her face as to not reveal the smile she was too ashamed to show. "Oh, man. Did you have to say that? Really? Now you make me imagine all _this_ as the boomerang." She started to laugh and Sokka joined in. After a while her stomach hurt and she decided that it was best not to press her luck now that he uncovered her secrete humor. When she was sure he had stopped too she dared to say, "Sokka I think you're too old to bring your trusty sidekick into this conversation."

Sokka hmmmed, considering. "I thought you never wanted to grow up."

"Um," Toph exhaled realizing now that she was suppressing her lungs for the answer, "I guess time didn't listen."

"You are correct; they say time is deaf and can only walk a straight line," he said a bit too melodramatic.

"Oh, man, I wish both Tenzin _and_ Lin walked on a straight line tonight," Toph reminded but she seemed to controlled her nerves. Sokka always knew how to miraculously change the topic in a way to make her forget what she was stressing about.

"Toph, it's only Valentine's day. Nothing bad is going to happen." Sokka started to mug her head, messing up her hair. "And please stop brining this up because it's driving me insane."

"May I remind all of us that you were never sane? But trust me geniuses are always like that," she added at the end because she regretted making him feel bad. "Anyways, what makes you think that nothing tragic is going to happen?"

"Because I'm a genius," he simply stated taking moments for suspense, "ignoring the fact you just gave me a low punch to my self-esteem and I'll probably go suicidal around the City but I have to remember that I'm too old for that."

Toph cracked up laughing again, was about to hit his shoulder but stopped at mid hair and instead rested her hand on the arc of his neck and the low jaw of his face. "You know, they say that with age the real colors of the people you know begin to show instead of wilting like they apparently do because you know who's at your side and who has left your path. I'm blind but I can see your colors and maybe I don't know what I'm saying because haven't seen colors my entire life but the ones you wear are colors I know cannot exist." Toph took a breath then continued really fast. "I think that loyalty is like a valuable item, with time their worth increases. I don't know if we are a valuable item but with time your meaning has amplify as if a millennia had passed and gone and I know I'm exaggerating but only with exaggeration do I tell you how much you are worth to me. And maybe in a way I can confess how blindly- and I'm blind- I am in love with you."

In response all Toph heard was shuffling in Sokka's direction which cause the hand at his face to drop by the movement. For a second Toph thought that she had taken a false step in the way she had done this entirely and that maybe she was too caught up in the moment. But she couldn't think any longer as Sokka stopped and then fallowed his voice. "When you asked me how sure I was that nothing tragic was going to happen tonight my first reply was to tell you that it was Valentine's day and nothing bad ever happens at Valentine's and then in that moment I will bring the concept of time again and I wasn't sure if I should but then…" Toph felt Sokka opening her hands that she had held into a fist. In them he laid something. She started touching a small round form and then some velvet lace.

"Is this a necklace?" she asked.

"-I will bring the concept of time again," Sokka repeated on as if he hadn't heard anything, "and how I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you- in that exact moment I would place the necklace which in my Tribe we use to propose marriage in your hand and say- but I an eternity sounds better…"

Toph's hands started to tremble as tears filled her eyes, she started too chocked on laughter again but it felt like pure bliss.

"So," Sokka said taking the necklace from her hands and moving in such way to locate it on her neckline, "you see there's nothing tragic in Valentine 's Day when you're this happy. I don't think we're old I think we're mature enough. Mature enough to understand what love means. I don't think there anything wrong with that, not when you come back around like my boomerang. Trusty."

Toph's laugh enlarged and when she left Sokka take a seat behind her she moved towards him. She gave him her front as she sat on his lap. Giggling (which was weird) she moved the hair from her face and leaned into him. Before she started to wildly kiss his lips she whispered in his ear. "But how can I come back around if I never left?"

The End

A/N: What do you guys think? Comments?

Oh, I will like to clear since it happened to be before that I will not continue this.


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